Exercise #16
Pandemic & Climate Change: Mapping Health Impacts on Vulnerable Communities
Authors: Dr Elena Rousou, Dr Panagiota Ellina, Mrs Paraskevi Charitou
35 minutes
Description
A group-based impact-mapping exercise in which students analyse how the simultaneous occurrence of a pandemic and a climate crisis compounds health risks for transcultural, migrant, and refugee communities, then propose immediate and long-term culturally sensitive solutions.
Methodological Guide
Objectives
Recognize how climate change and pandemics intersect to create health risks. Identify specific vulnerabilities faced by transcultural, migrant, and refugee communities. Promote critical reflection on resilience and equity in health systems.
Expected Outcomes
By the end of the activity, students will: demonstrate links between climate crises and pandemics; generate culturally sensitive, equity-focused health strategies.
Exercise Procedure
Introduction (5 min): Teacher presents scenario — 'A refugee camp faces a COVID outbreak during a severe heatwave. What are the main health risks?' Individual part (5 min). Discussion (10 min): Groups brainstorm health impacts (short bullet map). Summary (10 min). Final reflection (5 min): Groups upload their maps and exchange short peer comments.
Mode of Implementation
Group Work (3–5 students per group). Online submission via e-platform (upload map or bullet outline).
Role of the Teacher
Provide the short scenario. Facilitate brainstorming. Monitor group discussion and ensure focus on transcultural perspectives.
Theoretical Basis
Disorienting Dilemma: Students are presented with a short scenario of a transcultural community facing simultaneous heatwaves and a pandemic outbreak. Critical Reflection: They brainstorm the compounded health risks and discuss how systemic weaknesses worsen outcomes. Dialogue and Action: Students propose two immediate and two long-term culturally sensitive strategies for health system resilience.
Practical Application
Students will create a visual 'impact map' (bullet points or mind-map style) showing how climate and pandemics intersect in health.
Knowledge Transfer
Students learn how to apply theoretical concepts (global health systems, equity, resilience) to real-world transcultural contexts. Their impact maps can be re-used in future discussions on migration, food security, and global governance.
Reinforcement & Reflection
Students receive peer feedback on their maps (each group comments on one other group's work). Self-reflection prompt: 'How did this exercise change my view on the interconnectedness of pandemics and climate change?'
Required Resources
Student worksheet (impact map template). Access to WHO/IOM online resources (links provided).
Assessment / Evaluation
Peer comment: 'One strength of your group's map and one suggestion for improvement.' Self-check: 'Did my solution consider both climate and pandemic risks? Did I include transcultural equity?'
Practical Tips
Use a simple online mind-mapping tool (e.g. Miro, Padlet, or a Word/PowerPoint template). Encourage visual icons for engagement.
Discussion Topics
How does climate migration worsen pandemic vulnerability? What lessons from COVID-19 can prepare us for future climate-health crises?
Further Resources
World Health Organization (WHO): Operational framework for building climate-resilient health systems (2023). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Sixth Assessment Report – Health Impacts of Climate Change. International Organization for Migration (IOM): Climate Change and Migration in the Mediterranean Region.
Additional Remarks
Keep the activity short, interactive, and visually engaging. Works well as a warm-up or consolidation exercise in a global health course. Regame note: converted from single-stage text_submission to two-stage timer_stage_manager (slideshow → text_submission) on 2026-04-22. Deferred: collaborative_diagram layer pending solo-mode renderer support.